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Whoever first coined the phrase, it is said that the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again, expecting a different result. The Israelis seem intent on proving that.
War, especially covert war against a subversive and seditious militia intent on undermining a democratic government, will always be dirty and bloody. That is no excuse for the Israelis conducting the military equivalent of brain surgery with a cricket bat.
Across the world and throughout history, from Northern Ireland to Iraq, armed insurgencies have been defeated or contained by co-opting and cooperating with political leaders, patient diplomacy and methodical, targeted, intelligent and ruthlessly efficient military operations.
There is no doubt that the IDF is the most ruthless and efficient fighting force in the region. You need not bomb schools and obliterate families to prove the point.
The Israelis are an intelligent, resourceful and brave people. Why do they continue to endorse this rage-fuelled stupidity? Hamas militant Mahmoud Zahar was quoted in Tuesday’s Times; ‘They have legitimised the killing of their own children by murdering the children of Palestine.’
So both sides are content to do whatever is necessary to keep this cancerous conflict gasping on. ‘It is the endgame lost of old, play and lose and have done with losing.’
9 January - Ed says:
Just came across this excellent point in a good piece from The Economist: The Palestinians it is bombing today will be its neighbours for ever. This last point speaks to the test of effectiveness. Israel said at first that, much as it would like to topple Hamas, its present operation has the more limited aim of “changing reality” so that Hamas stops firing across the border. But as Israel learnt in Lebanon in 2006, this is far from easy. As with Hizbullah, Hamas’s “resistance” to Israel has made it popular and delivered it to power. It is most unlikely to bend the knee. Like Hizbullah, it will probably prefer to keep on firing no matter how hard it is hit, daring Israel to send its ground forces into a messy street fight in Gaza’s congested cities and refugee camps. |
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7 January, 2009 Endgame. Again.
‘Come now, you're not a brute beast, think upon these things and you'll see how all becomes clear.’ In the absence of any intelligible there seems little left to do but plead with Israel to stop its attack on Gaza.
Perhaps the Israeli government thought that if they attacked and killed enough Palestinian civilians Hamas would be frightened into capitulating. It is possible the IDF thought that killing young men’s families in their homes would reduce their desire to kill Israeli families. Or maybe they thought if they attacked now most of Hamas’ staff would be out of the office for the holidays - after all, it is Christmas. |
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